Welcome to the Atlas TRAINMAN® Web Site where there's...

MODEL RAILROAD FUN FOR EVERYONE!™

Thank you for visiting our website to view the exciting line of ATLAS TRAINMAN®
products. Please refer to our FAQ section for additional data on ATLAS TRAINMAN®
products.

We invite you to examine ATLAS TRAINMAN® products for yourself. Built
to scale with true scale dimensions and accurate details, ATLAS TRAINMAN®
units are packed with the high quality and desirable features model railroaders
have come to expect from Atlas. These great scale replicas combine the history,
tradition and craftsmanship that are meticulously built into all Atlas products.

Please visit our “About” section for
more details on how and where you can find these exciting new TRAINMAN®
products from Atlas. Additional information, and a few surprises, will appear
regularly on this www.atlastrainman.com website. We invite you to read the
following Dedication, explaining the concept and evolution of the ATLAS
TRAINMAN® lines.

Which scale are you interested in?

Atlas N Trainman®
Available Now!

N scale is the second most popular scale and quite
small, being 1:160 proportioned to the prototype. Smaller trains will
mean less detail, but you can run a larger layout in a smaller area
than with HO. The gauge on the track is 9mm.

Atlas HO Trainman®
Available Now!

This is the most popular scale and is 1:87 proportion
to the prototype. It requires a small area for a layout, using a sheet
of plywood or even a bookshelf for some of the smaller layouts, and
there are many products available for HO scale modelers. The track
it runs on is 16.5mm gauge.

Atlas O Trainman®
Available Now!

“O” is the largest of the common model
trains, with a proportion of 1:48 of the prototype. This requires
a larger area than HO or N for a layout but the trains and accessories
are also more detailed. O scale track is 1-1/4" gauge.

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releases delivered to your email inbox, be sure to sign up for the Atlas
TRAINMAN® News Flash.

The evolution and development of the TRAINMAN® lines date back 25 years.
The founder of Atlas Tool Co. Inc., Steve Schaffan, (the genius who invented
the machines which produced mass market model railroad track-snap track
and switches, super flex track, etc.), was then developing two locomotives,
one in HO and the other in N scale, with two different overseas manufacturers.
The N scale locomotive, an Alco RS-3, was the first locomotive Atlas would
produce with a company called Sekisui Kinzoku, better known as Kato. The
other, an HO Alco S-2/4, was being built by Steve’s good friends,
the Rossler’s of Austria, who’s company name is Roco Modellspielwaren.

As these two locomotives neared completion, just prior to production, Steve
Schaffan suddenly died, leaving the future of these particular models, not
to mention the future of Atlas, in question. At that time, his only child,
Diane, and myself, (her husband), first became involved with Atlas. While
I would like to claim some responsibility for the ensuing success of the
company, the real credit goes to Diane, who is much like her father in many
ways.

The most important decision she made, without hesitation, was to carry
on her father’s legacy. Equally important was her commitment to produce
the very best products available in model railroading. Continually striving
to offer the highest quality track, freight cars and locomotives has been
a hallmark of Atlas production standards for 60 years, and four generations
of Schaffan family members.

The two locomotives referred to above were indeed produced, leading to
a renaissance in model railroad locomotive building, not only for Atlas,
but for other model railroad companies in the United States. The quality
and popularity of these models led to many more releases, each raising the
bar from the previous model. Atlas became recognized as the company that
produced models with details and operation equal to, if not better than,
brass locomotive makers, at lower prices.

It is important to recognize the many individuals who have worked, and
are working still, in Atlas research and development over the past twenty
plus years. It is only with their talent, knowledge and dedication that
Atlas has been able to achieve the level of recognition we possess in both
locomotive and freight car manufacturing.

Where’s the TRAINMAN® story in all of this? Read on. The popularity
of the locomotives eventually led to similarly successful HO and N freight
car lines. The successful freight car lines allowed the establishment of
Atlas O, a sister company dedicated to O gauge/scale track, freight cars
and locomotives. Throughout, we’ve focused on producing and marketing
to modelers who appreciate and support Atlas through buying some of the
very best model railroad products available.

Over the past 20 years, maintaining such high production standards has
become an expensive proposition, for both Atlas and consumers. During the
last few years, an important question became…“What about all
the other modelers out there who know the Atlas name, but can’t afford,
or don’t want to spend their hard earned dollars on high end locomotives
or rolling stock?” Equally important is the question that goes to
the heart of continuing the healthy development of model railroading in
the United States, “What about new individuals who want to enter into
the hobby of model railroading, but can’t or don’t want to spend
at typical high end prices?” These are the individuals the Atlas TRAINMAN®
lines have been developed for. Whether it’s N, HO, or O, the Atlas
TRAINMAN® lines represent Atlas’ attempt to more widely assure,
“model railroading fun for everyone™”.

I hasten to add two critical points: First, Atlas will continue making
the Master Series lines of N, HO and O locomotives and freight cars. Our
commitment to creating “masterpieces” remains strong and will
be a mainstay of our development efforts. Second, while there are some differences
between the two lines, (i.e. more frequent use of molded-on versus separately
applied details), Trainman models will retain the same standards of quality
model building and prototypical realism as the Master Series.

It was Steve Schaffan’s lifelong goal to make quality, affordable
track products for model railroaders. Steve was known for sharing his uncanny
ability to simplify machine and tool making with fellow manufacturers throughout
the world. It is with these thoughts in mind that we dedicate to his memory
the newest Atlas lines of quality, affordable freight cars and locomotives
in N, HO and O.

Thank you Mr. Schaffan, our very own “Trainman”, for leading
the way.

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If you enjoyed these fine products, take a look at our premium line of
products at the following sites: